


In the endless night sky

by Estirose



Category: Slime Rancher (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Pre-Canon, Yuletide Treat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-21
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:07:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28207299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Estirose/pseuds/Estirose
Summary: Beatrix talks to Casey about her plans to go to the Far, Far Range.
Relationships: Casey & Beatrix Lebeau
Comments: 3
Kudos: 6
Collections: Yuletide 2020





	In the endless night sky

**Author's Note:**

  * For [aroberuka](https://archiveofourown.org/users/aroberuka/gifts).



"You sure you want to do this?" Casey asked as Beatrix made them both mugs of coffee. "The place looks pretty run down."

"I'm sure of it," Beatrix said. They were sitting in Beatrix's tiny apartment in San Francisco after Casey had finished their latest tour. Beatrix thought it would have been nice to tour with Casey, see the sights, but there were enough places to explore in Northern California that she didn't really feel the need. Besides, as much as she liked cities, she liked being alone more, exploring more, seeing nature more. "It's a new planet! Well worth the money I'd pay to buy the ranch and trip out there."

Casey handed her back the display with the ranch displayed on it. "You know I'd miss you," they said quietly. "And not just because you have an apartment in a big city."

"I'd miss you, too." She and Casey had been friends for what seemed like forever. She'd been running a little shop in a college town, they were looking for flowers for a friend in hospital. Eventually she'd closed up the shop to move to Sacramento. Part of her family was there, after all, running their own business. Even if it wasn't as fun as the flower shop, it was a steady paycheck, and she'd come to love it too. Eventually, though, she'd ended up in San Francisco to run a branch of the business there. "But I know you're going on tour. With Angie, and I don't want to mess things up."

"I know that your family's going to close the store here. I know you and Angie had a rough first meeting that Halloween, but she'd love to have you come too."

"No, but thanks for the thought." She smiled, taking a sip of her coffee, knowing as well as he did that she hated touring. "As far as closing the shop goes, Sacramento's okay, and it wouldn't be the end of the world if I moved home, but...." Beatrix sighed. "I just want to travel. And have a ranch! Have you seen the picture of the slimes?" The tabbies had made her heart melt. Supposedly there was at least one other variety out there that was catlike, and Beatrix loved cats even though she was allergic to them.

"I saw the cat ones. Are you sure you aren't just going there for them?"

"A little bit, yes." Beatrix sipped at her coffee to stop from giving them a goofy smile. "But I looked. That's a really big plot of land for the price. No traffic. No noisy neighbors. I can capture the slimes, make money off of them, explore to my heart's content-"

"I assume as long as you can keep them fed?" Casey asked, adding milk to their coffee. They had spent enough time at Beatrix's to just get up and get some. "I mean, they probably have to have some kind of food, don't they?"

"That's my understanding. Besides, I guess there's a lot of slime by-products that Earth can use. They're apparently used for lighting, for clean power, heat, water, they enhance crop production... they even power our holophones! Apparently there's some slimes that can cause damage, but you know me. I can always get to safety."

She knew she could. If she could deal with harmful creatures on Earth, why shouldn't she be able to handle them on an alien planet? Sure, some of 7zee's advertising was just that - advertising - but she was well used to the dangers of being out in the wild.

"You'll miss coffee, I bet. And tacos." Casey gave her a sad smile.

"I suspect I can make some kind of tacos. Part of the 7Zee contract is to deliver a certain amount of Earth food, too. Can't sell plorts if you're starving, and some of the food for slimes isn't edible for humans."

"Of course," Casey replied. They sipped at their coffee. "I know it's something that I wouldn't want to do, but I want you to be happy too. Just... are you sure you're not going in blind?"

"There's a lady - Thora West - she's written about her time on the Far, Far Range. I've read everything that she's put out. I mean, she doesn't put out a lot, but she seems to be a lot like me - looking for a quiet place that's a new adventure." Beatrix didn't mention some of what Thora had said about the more dangerous slimes she'd encountered around the Far, Far Range. She didn't want to scare Casey and make them try to talk her out of leaving. They'd never succeed, of course, but she didn't want Casey to worry about her. She would be fine. She always would be fine. The 7Zee rep had mentioned things that would make it harder for the slimes to hurt her badly, and Thora's notes had mentioned that the Slime Sea would carry Ranchers to safety when they fell into it. She'd live a long, productive life. Maybe she'd get to Thora's age, decide to just keep her slimes healthy at the ranch, not travel more than she had to. But that would be a long time. Beatrix, after all, was young.

"You told your family yet?" Casey asked. "That you're planning to buy the place?"

"Of course! I'd never hide anything like this from them." They'd also had their doubts about the safety of the Far, Far Range, but Beatrix had siblings and it wasn't like their family tree would end just because she wanted to go to an alien planet. Besides, some of the money she made selling plorts would come back to them. A very small amount - one percent of what she sold after 7Zee's invisible fees for food and maintenance - but it was better than nothing. "They're worried - and I understand that - but they've always known that I'd be happier doing something like this rather than running a store. I've also talked to a lawyer to make sure that I can get the best deal I can from 7Zee. She's confident that she's negotiated me a good deal."

Casey nodded. "You sound like you're prepared."

"As prepared as I can be!" Beatrix exclaimed. "I just... this is what I was meant to do, Casey. Take care of slimes. Relax. Enjoy exploring. Enjoy myself. It's all I can ask."

"Sounds like a bunch of wild horses couldn't stop you. I wish you wouldn't go, but...." Casey sighed. "I don't want you to go. I guess I'm just worrying. But I know I can't stop you either. And I want you to be happy. So if you want to go, go." Why did they have to sound so happy but so sad to Beatrix?

She reached out and gave them a one-armed hug. "I love you too, in some ways. And if you understand, that's all I can ask from you, or from anyone." She knew it wouldn't be easy. It would be a year before she woke up, and time to get used to her new life, but she knew she could do it. Everybody believed in her, and that's the only thing that mattered.

**Author's Note:**

> In the early version of Casey's letters, there's one that mentions that Casey had a love life that didn't include Beatrix. I figure that Angie was a bandmate of sorts that Casey was in love with at some point.


End file.
